Improvement in earth-closets



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN L. KENT, OF OOATESVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

J IMPROVEMENT IN EARTH-CLOSETS5 Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. 135,817, dated February 11,1873.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, B. L. KENT, of (loatesville, in the county ofChester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuableImprovement in Earth-Closets; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the construction andoperation of the same, reference bein g had to the annexed drawingmaking a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawing is a representation of a vertical section of myearth-closet. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same with lid raised, theupper half being sectioned.

My invention has relation to earth-closets; and it consists in theemployment of a flexible spout to convey the earth "from the earthbox tothe bucket, and in the construction and novel arrangement of anautomatic device for controlling and regulating the discharge of earth,substantially as hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the earthcloset inclosing theremovable bucket B, which is placed in the usual position underneath thesliding seat 0. D represents the hinged lid to the seat, and E thehinged back, the latter being hinged to the former, so that when the lidis lifted the back will be thereby pushed upward between the raisedsides of the closet. One edge of the back has a longitudinal groove, a,which receives a stud projecting from one of the raised sides of thecloset, said stud being allowed to enter and pass from the groovethrough a notch, b, when the back is slightly raised. The stud serves toretain the back in an upright position. The upper part ofthe closetcontainsthe earth-box, marked Gr, and having an open bottom, from whichproceeds an inclined, tapering, flexible tube, H, to an opening intherear portion of the seat-lid, said tube being connected to the earth-boxand seat-lid, as shown. Through this tube the earth passes to the bucketas required. A U-shaped cut-ofl', consisting of a bent rod, I, pivotedto the back part of the scat-lid behind the back E, and provided withrearWardly-extending arms e, which project over the cleat e, to whichthe lid is hinged,

and rest in notches cut in said cleat, as shown in the accompanyingdrawing.

When the lid is raised a quantity of earth falls to the bottom of theflexible tube, where it remains until the lid is lowered, a gate, h,hinged to the under side of the lid, and so arranged as to cover theopening h when the lid is raised, preventing the premature escape of theearth. When, however, the lid is lowered, the highest portion of thecut-off is brought against the back of the flexible tube, which isthereby compressed between the cutoff and the transverse rod I, and thusprevented from depositing more than the required quantity of earth inthe bucket. As the lid israised the cut-oil falls back, relieving thetube, and again allowing the earth to fall to the bottom of the tube.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isl,

1. In an earth'closet, the combination, with the seat, bucket, andelevated earth-box, of a flexible discharge-tube and an automatic cut--Witnesses WM. J. KAU'FFMAN, F. P. HART.

